Phlox plant named &#39;VERSPURPLE&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Verspurple’, characterized by its broadly upright and relatively compact plant habit; freely flowering habit; large inflorescences with purple violet-colored flowers; long flowering period; good garden performance; and relative tolerance to Powdery Mildew.

Botanical designation: Phlox paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘VERSPURPLE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phloxplant, botanically known as Phlox paniculata and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Verspurple’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new compact and freely-flowering Phloxplants with attractive flower colors.

The new Phlox plant originated from an open-pollination in Haarlem, TheNetherlands, of an unnamed selection of Phlox paniculata as the female,or seed, parent, not patented with an unknown selection of Phloxpaniculata as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Haarlem, The Netherlands during the summer of 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by vegetative stem cuttingsin a controlled environment in Haarlem, The Netherlands since August,2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Verspurple’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Verspurple’ as a new and distinct Phlox plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright and relatively compact plant habit.    -   2. Freely flowering habit.    -   3. Large inflorescences with purple violet-colored flowers.    -   4. Long flowering period.    -   5. Good garden performance.    -   6. Relative tolerance to Powdery Mildew.

Plants of the new Phlox and the female parent selection differ primarilyin the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are shorter and more compact than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Phlox are more intense purple        violet in color than flowers of plants of the female parent        selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Phlox are healthier, stronger and more        tolerant to Powdery Mildew than plants of the female parent        selection.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of Phlox paniculata‘Nicky’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the newPhlox and ‘Nicky’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are shorter and more compact than        plants of ‘Nicky’.    -   2. Plants of the new Phlox grow faster than plants of ‘Nicky’.    -   3. Plants of the new Phlox are healthier, stronger and more        tolerant to Powdery Mildew than plants of ‘Nicky’.    -   4. Plants of the new Phlox and ‘Nicky’ differ in flower color as        plants of ‘Nicky’ have blue purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Phlox plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Phlox plant. The photograph on the first sheet comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Verspurple’ grown in acontainer.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Verspurple’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer and early autumn in17-cm containers and ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Haarlem, TheNetherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Phloxproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 14° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 6° C. to 18° C.Plants were one year old when the photographs and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox paniculata ‘Verspurple’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Phlox            paniculata, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Phlox            paniculata, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative stem cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three weeks at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About six weeks at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; broadly            upright and relatively compact plant habit; overall shape,            broad inverted triangle; moderately vigorous and moderate            growth rate.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 38.8            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 52.5            cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 46.6 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 34 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Internode length: About 2.7 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:            Upright to about 30° from vertical. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Luster: Slightly glossy. Color, developing: Close            to 144A. Color, developed: Close to 144A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 12.1 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic.        -   Apex.—Narrowly acute.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Entire; very finely serrate, inconspicious; slightly            revolute.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            slightly rugose.        -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A            tinged with close to 203A. Developing leaves, lower surface:            Close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close            to 137A; venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves,            lower surface: Close to between 143A and 147B; venation,            close to 144B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate and            salverform flowers arranged in compound terminal panicles;            flowers face upright to outwardly; panicles roughly            pyramidal in shape; freely flowering habit with about 150            flowers developing per inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; sweet, pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about eight            months after planting; long flowering period, plants flower            continuously from late spring throughout the summer in The            Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the plant;            flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Oblanceolate. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Luster:            Matte. Color: Close to 83B to 83C; immature tube, lighter            than N77B; immature calyx, close to 145D strongly tinged            with close to N77C and 165A.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 15.1 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 13.8 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 2.6 cm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Tube diameter.—About 4 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl; lower 60% of petal length fused into a narrow tube;            free parts slightly to moderately imbricate. Length: About            3.7 cm; lower 2.2 cm fused. Lobe width: About 2.2 cm. Shape:            Free part, spatulate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Texture, lower            surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety. Texture,            throat: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, tube: Moderately            pubescent. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte. Color:            When opening, upper surface: Slightly darker and more            intense than N81A. When opening, lower surface: Close to            86D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to N81A; color            becoming closer to N81A to N81B with development. Fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 86D; color does not change            with development. Throat: Close to N78A. Tube: Close to 77A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, lower 30% of sepal length fused into a narrow tube;            calyx, campanulate. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 2 mm.            Shape: Narrowly lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly apiculate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte. Color:            When opening, upper surface: Close to 145A; towards the            margins, close to N77C. When opening, lower surface: Close            to 145D; strongly tinged with close to 165A; towards the            margins, close to N77C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close            to 145A; towards the margins, close to N77C. Fully opened,            lower surface: Close to 145B; strongly tinged with close to            200A; towards the margins, close to N77C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 11.8 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Aspect: Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Luster: Slightly glossy. Color: Close to 144B to 144C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm. Angle:            About 60° from the peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Moderately pubescent. Luster: Matte. Color:            Close to 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to            N155B. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Oblong;            basifixed. Anther color: Close to 158B. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 158D. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.9 cm. Stigma shape:            Cleft, three-parted. Stigma color: Close to 150D. Style            length: About 1.8 cm. Style color: Close to N77C. Ovary            color: Close to 143A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Phlox to date.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind, high    temperatures about 35° C. and to be winter hardy to USDA Hardiness    Zone 6.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Phlox have been    observed to be relatively tolerant to Powdery Mildew (Erysiphe    cichoracearum); plants of the new Phlox have not been observed to be    resistant to pests and other pathogens common to Phlox plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Verspurple’ asillustrated and described.